EGN NEWS DESK
George R. Nethercutt Jr., who as a first-time candidate for Congress in 1994 defeated Thomas S. Foley of Washington State, making Mr. Foley the primary House speaker to be ousted by voters because the Civil War period, died on Friday in Colorado. He was 79.
His loss of life, close to Denver, was confirmed by his son, Elliott, who mentioned the trigger was issues of a neurological illness. The Spokesman Review of Spokane, Wash., reported that Mr. Nethercutt had been recognized with progressive supranuclear palsy, a uncommon mind illness that impacts strolling, steadiness, eye actions and swallowing.
Voters in Washington State had permitted a poll initiative in 1992 to impose a three-term restrict on members of Congress — a restrict that Mr. Foley, who died in 2013, had not solely opposed but additionally efficiently challenged in court docket. After unseating Mr. Foley in 1994, Mr. Nethercutt vowed to serve not more than three phrases however reneged on that pledge in 2000 and was re-elected twice extra.
Mr. Nethercutt was a 50-year-old Spokane lawyer and political neophyte when he denied Mr. Foley a sixteenth two-year time period, successful with 50.9 p.c of the vote to Mr. Foley’s 49 p.c. His victory was a part of the Republican midterm sweep galvanized by Newt Gingrich’s “Contract With America” marketing campaign. The G.O.P. tide additionally flipped the make-up of Washington State’s House delegation to seven Republicans and two Democrats from an 8-1 Democratic majority.
George Rector Nethercutt Jr. was born on Oct. 7. 1944, in Spokane to George and Nancy (Sampson) Nethercutt. His father was president of the native faculty board within the Nineteen Sixties.
George Jr. earned a bachelor’s diploma in English from Washington State University in 1967 and a legislation diploma from Gonzaga University in Spokane in 1971.
He clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Raymond Plummer in Alaska, then went to work for Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska as his chief of employees earlier than practising legislation in his house state, the place he specialised in adoptions. He served because the Spokane County Republican chairman and was an energetic supporter of George Bush’s 1988 presidential marketing campaign.
In 1992, Washington voters permitted a poll measure limiting restrict House members to a few two-year phrases and Senators to a pair of six-year phrases. Mr. Foley sued and the United States Supreme Court declared the availability unconstitutional, ruling that the state was not empowered to set limits on federal workplaces.
After successful the 1994 Republican major, Mr. Nethercutt accused Mr. Foley of getting misplaced contact along with his constituents, however Mr. Nethercutt’s promise to abide by a self-imposed three-term restrict was thought of decisive. (He repeatedly invoked the title of his rival’s lawsuit: “Foley towards the People of the State of Washington.”)
Mr. Nethercutt campaigned with the assist of Republicans nationally and the National Rifle Association, positioning himself as probably the most congenial candidate. Appearing in a single marketing campaign commercial along with his golden retriever, Chestnut, he complained that Mr. Foley had accused him of the whole lot besides kicking his canine.
“I’d by no means harm you, Chestnut,” Mr. Nethercutt mentioned, hugging the canine.
In their last debate, Mr. Foley felt compelled to answer, “George, I’m not after the canine, consider me.”
Mr. Foley was the primary House speaker to be voted out of workplace since William Pennington, a Republican from New Jersey, in 1860.
Mr. Nethercutt was awarded a seat on the House Appropriations Committee. He co-founded the Congressional Diabetes Caucus (his daughter had juvenile diabetes).
In 2004, President George W. Bush urged him to problem Senator Patty Murray of Washington. He misplaced and retired from elective workplace.
Mr. Nethercutt based a nonpartisan basis to advertise civics, which labored with the Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University. In 2010, he wrote “In Tune With America: Our History in Song.”
In addition to his son, he’s survived by his spouse, Mary Beth (Socha) Nethercutt, whom he married in 1977; a daughter, Meredith Nethercutt Krisher; a sister, Nancy Nethercutt Gustafson; a brother, John Irving Nethercutt; and a granddaughter.
